Kukri

About 'Kukri'

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The kukri (also sometimes spelled khukri or khukuri) is a curved knife which can be used as a tool as well as a close combat weapon. The cutting edge is inwardly curved in shape and is the icon of Nepal. It was and in many cases still is the basic and traditional utility knife of the Nepalese people. Very effective when used as a weapon, it is a symbolic weapon for all Gurkha regiments throughout the world and the Nepalese Army signifying the courage and valor of the bearer in the battlefield. It is a part of many traditional rituals among different ethnic groups of Nepal, including one where the groom has to wear it during the wedding ceremony. It is also a part of the regimental weaponry and heraldry of the Royal Gurkha Rifles. It is known to many people as simply the Gurkha Blade or Gurkha Knife. It is also widely used in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand state of India, where it is called Kaanta or Dafya (in Kumaoni).